That is a very interesting perspective, and I think that it is something that should seriously be considered by anyone working on a startup. If you solve a complex problem, and package it for the end user as easy-to-use, you have a huge advantage, because any competitor will require at least 6 months to copy your concept, giving you a comfortable head start.
But if you make an online todo list, clones will appear in weeks and it will turn into a grueling marketing task. And considering the size of most web startups, investing time in marketing takes away from development time. So you cannot release new features as quickly, and sooner or later, your users start drifting away.
Good programmers _should_ work on complex problems. Good marketers should hire a cheap indian team to quickly create their web app concept.
But if you make an online todo list, clones will appear in weeks and it will turn into a grueling marketing task. And considering the size of most web startups, investing time in marketing takes away from development time. So you cannot release new features as quickly, and sooner or later, your users start drifting away.
Good programmers _should_ work on complex problems. Good marketers should hire a cheap indian team to quickly create their web app concept.